There is no two ways about it, after all the talk from manager Mikel Arteta the January transfer window, and deadline day in particular, turned into a damp squib for all Arsenal fans who were looking for the club to push the boat a bit, and as a minimum, secure a striking option to plug the massive gap in our starting line up.
That, of course, did not come to pass and the vast majority of Gunners fans now understandably have their own doubts as to whether or not we will now close the eight point gap that Liverpool hold over us at the top of the Premier League table. The board have rolled the dice by not strengthening and we have decided to proverbially play roulette online with our title ambitions and it feels like we have not done our research like pro gamers would with their own gambles.
With how close we have pushed the title race in recent years, following Manchester City and Pep Guardiola’s fall from grace, not making those points up means there would be no other way of looking at it other than being a complete failure and it would fall squarely on the board, who are again facing questions about their ambitions and aspirations for the club.
Those conversations will undoubtedly continue, but the speculation rumour mill is predictably linking us with having an interest in some very interesting players for the summer, and Espanyol talent Joan Garcia is back in the headlines as an apparent long term target of ours.
After such a disappointing January given what was potentially riding on it, there is no surprise in seeing the media peddle the line that our ‘chiefs’ are promising that we are set for a big summer and that we will strengthen numerous positions to ensure we lift the title in 2026 – we have heard it all before – but 23 year old Spanish Under 21 cap Garcia is an interesting proposal, albeit he certainly would not be our top or major target, as that should absolutely continue to be a dyed in the wool striker and somebody of the calibre of Newcastle United’s Aleksander Isak or RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.
It was reported that we failed in a 20 million Euro offer for Garcia last summer, but for whatever reason we failed to match his release fee that stands at 25 million Euros. Come next summer, it is claimed that for the final 15 days of the window his release will rise to 30 million Euros, so if we have a real interest at that point you would fully expect us to move early.
Particularly in light of their sporting director Fran Garagarza saying recently that the club are in no position to refuse genuine and suitable offers for the stopper when the end of the current 2024/25 campaign comes to a close.
We will have to see what happens as we are unlikely to be the only suitors, but fans will be looking for a lot more than a back up goalkeeper given the opportunity we may have just blown.
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